Details: Published: 20 July 2022; Hits: 426

When Is the Right Time to Sell Your Home?

Knowing when to sell your home is tricky.

Every homeowner wants to do what is best for their family and get the most profit from their property. So when is the best time to sell your home?

When You Are Ready

This might at first seem obvious!

However, many sellers get caught up in putting their homes on the market at the ‘optimum time’ rather than when their family is ready.

Although moving in the summer months is often deemed unfavourable, it might be the only realistic opportunity for young families. Trying to force a move when the timing is not ideal for your personal circumstances can be catastrophic.

Additionally, there is a considerable amount of work involved with preparing the home for sale. Before the property can be photographed and viewed, a substantial declutter and a thorough clean will be necessary. You might also be required to redecorate, adding a more neutral colour palette to the home so it appeals to the broadest possible market.

Shifting Trends

Ten years ago, advising a client on the best time to market their home would be straightforward.

Spring was always the best, with Easter routinely ranking as the busiest week for home sales. Conversely, Christmas was the worst, with buyers deciding to stay put and begin their home search in the new year.

However, the housing market has changed dramatically. Video viewings offer more flexibility, and the current housing shortage means buyers are now often willing to move at previously ‘unfavourable’ times.

Spring

Spring is still the most popular time to buy and sell properties. Most of us are inspired by the new season and eager for a fresh start in a new home.

Completing a sale in spring allows us to reap the rewards of the summertime in our new property.

Summer

Selling your home in summer allows you to show it in the best light. The house will photograph fantastically, and prospective buyers will enjoy the late evening viewings with natural light.

Houses aimed at young couples and the elderly often perform better in the summer months, with families often preoccupied with the school holidays.

Autumn

Autumn offers an excellent opportunity to buy a new home and be settled before Christmas.

When marketing your house in the autumn, be sure to make the property warm and inviting, showing viewers just how fabulous and cosy winter in their new home can be.

Winter

For years, winter has been considered the most tricky time to sell your home.

The market tends to slow in the middle of October, with buyers accepting they will spend the festive period in their current property.

However, the massive benefit of selling in the winter is that you will face much less competition. Meaning, determined buyers are more likely to land on your home than they might have been in the more competitive spring or summer months.

Focus on Supply and Demand

Before contemplating putting your home up for sale, consider your target market.

If you have a two-bedroom property, you will most likely be appealing to young couples. They might be more flexible with move dates, especially if they do not have children.

Conversely, if you are looking to sell a bungalow, it will likely appeal to older people and those looking to downsize after children have flown the nest. These clients may be more reluctant to deal with the hassle of moving in the winter, and therefore a spring or summer completion will be ideal.

The Current Economic Situation

The housing market is known for its fluctuations. However, it continues to bounce back following any adversity, and house prices grew a staggering 8.5% last year, despite challenges in the economy.

It is crucial sellers consider incentives such as the 5% mortgage deposit scheme, which will encourage buyers at less favourable times of the year.

Area Changes

Buyers aren’t just viewing your particular home; they are assessing the area.

So considering any dramatic changes planned for the town may make a huge difference to the best time for you to sell.

For example, if a great new primary school is in the pipeline, it may be worth holding out on advertising the home. Excellent schools drastically increase the price of homes, and it will also widen your target market.

On the other hand, something may be planned that will reduce the price of your home. If this is the case, it might be worthwhile moving more quickly, even if this means advertising the house in a less popular season.

Ready to move? Warren Powell-Richards are your local property experts.

Call us on or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how we can help you.

Details: Published: 20 July 2022; Hits: 486

7 Things Sellers Need to Declare to Estate Agents About Their Home

There’s no denying that selling a home involves paperwork. When preparing to sell, you’ll need to declare various things to your estate agent. While you may be worried about having to share potential issues from the past, it’s important to remember that what you disclose won’t necessarily put buyers off. An old building can be seen as an ‘opportunity for modernisation’. Planning permission from neighbours can be recognised as ‘potential to extend’. Plus, a good estate agent can find the right buyer no matter the circumstances.

To prepare you for the sale, here are seven of the most important things you’ll need to declare to estate agents about your home.

1. What you plan to take and leave

When you sell up, you’ll need to complete a ‘fixtures and fittings’ form. This will tell buyers what you plan to take with you when you leave, and what will be left behind for them. It’s important to establish these things as early as you can, as it can be a top question asked at viewings.

2. Renovation work

While this is a legal requirement, it’s also a great selling point. If you’ve recently renovated the kitchen, had an extension put in, or remodelled the bathroom, then you’ll need to declare the renovation work to estate agents.

3. Planning permissions in the area

Usually, you’ll get a letter from your local council informing you about the planning permissions requested by your neighbours. If you’ve had one of these letters recently, or if you get one during the sale of your home, then it’s important you declare it to your estate agent.

4. Denied planning permissions

If you applied for planning permission yourself and it was denied, it’s important that you disclose what you applied for and why it was declined to your estate agent.

5. Disputes with neighbours

If you’ve had a long-standing dispute with any of your local neighbours, you need to tell your estate agent about it. They are obligated to inform prospective buyers about the issues you’ve had with the people living around you. While it may seem trivial, if a buyer finds out later that you lied, it can be a very serious issue.

6. Pests or Japanese knotweed

Even if it was a problem long ago, your estate agent will need to know whether there was a pest invasion in your home, or if you’ve ever experienced Japanese knotweed in your garden.

7. Green deal loans

If you have one of these loans, you’ll definitely know about it. It’s a government loan that allows you to make improvements to your property and repay the costs using your energy bill savings. If you move, these debts get passed on to the new owners, so it’s absolutely essential to declare them to your estate agent.

First Move In Decades? Here Are Our Top Tips

For sellers who are moving for the first time in decades, it can be a stressful time. There are many reasons why you may wish to sell your property after you’ve lived in it for countless years. You may wish to move closer to your family, or downsize, for example. However, it can be hard to take the plunge and you may not know how to get started with the process. The expert team here at Warren Powell-Richards have some top tips to point you in the right direction.

The Principles Haven’t Changed

Although you may find the idea of selling up rather daunting, it’s important to remember that the principles haven’t changed since the last time you moved home. You still need to market and present your home well, ensure it has an appropriate asking price, and get a good conveyancing solicitor and estate agent to work with you. If you visit our website at wpr.co.uk, you can find out more information about the rest of the selling process.

Cleaning Out Your Home

When you live in a house for any length of time, you accumulate a lot of items! It’s important to have your home tidy and clean when prospective purchasers come to view it. Therefore, it makes sense to start getting rid of any items you no longer want or need before listing your home for sale. Here at Warren Powell-Richards, we can give you helpful advice about how to best present your property for sale.

Dealing With Your Emotions

One element that may surprise you is how emotional your move may be. As you pack away your belongings and clear each room, you’ll find items with sentimental value and need to decide what to do with them. Whenever possible, ask relatives or friends to help you with this process, and schedule some time every day to complete this task so you can overcome your emotions and feelings by the time your moving day comes around.

I Haven’t Got A Property To Move To Yet – Should I Consider Selling?

You may believe you can’t start the selling process if you haven’t found another home to move to, however that isn’t the case at all. In fact, you could find it easier to secure another property once you’ve already sold your existing home, since sellers may not want to wait for your sale to go through.

There is a high demand for property at the moment, so there’s never been a better time to list your home for sale. Should you make a rapid sale, you’ll still have several months before the transaction is complete during which time you can negotiate the terms under which you’re happy to leave your property. Keen buyers will almost always be prepared to wait.

If you’re ready to put your property on the market, or if you’re ready to learn more about the process of selling your home, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today. You can send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or give us a call. We’re looking forward to helping make your move a smooth and stress-free one.

Details: Published: 20 July 2022; Hits: 494

How Do I Deal With Woodworm In My Home?

Many homeowners have never considered the possibility of woodworm in their homes, yet it’s a surprisingly common problem. Even though there are a lot of plastic and synthetic materials in homes these days, most families have a few wooden pieces of furniture, and therefore, boring beetles like woodworm are still a 21st century issue!

Knowing the signs of woodworm is key to being able to treat the problem quickly before it gets out of hand, so here’s what to look out for.

Woodworm – What Is It?

Despite its name, a woodworm isn’t actually a worm; it’s a wood-boring beetle in its larval stage. They look similar to a caterpillar or maggot and are very small with a fully-grown adult only reaching between 2.7 mm and 4.5 mm in length.

What Signs Should I Look For?

Although woodworm are tiny, they cause a lot of damage to wood if the infestation is overlooked. Some signs to look for include:

Tiny exit holes. The larvae will leave very small holes measuring around 2mm in diameter when they exit the wooden surface.
Frass. This is powder-like, fine dust that can be found around the areas where an infestation occurs.
Dead beetles. When you see dead beetles lying around wood areas, it’s a good indicator you may have woodworm, but the infestation may not be active since the damage occurs during the insect’s larval stage.
Weak wood. Hopefully, you’ll see the signs of an infestation before you get to this stage. If you notice damage such as crumbling edges, a woodworm problem could be the cause.

How Can I Address A Woodworm Problem?

If you’ve noticed any of these signs in the wood in your home, calling professionals to help is critical. While the signs may have been due to an older infestation that isn’t active anymore, don’t take the risk – get in contact with a specialist who can test the affected wood and give you an appropriate treatment plan.

Once the infestation is treated, you need to prevent a further problem from occurring. There are a couple of steps you can take, including:

Reducing the humidity level in your home since woodworm will thrive in an environment with a high moisture level.
Use a moisture meter to check your wood’s moisture content. If the reading is under 11%, that indicates woodworm are unlikely to take hold.

Should I Address A Woodworm Problem Before Selling My Home?

If you discover a woodworm problem in the wooden structures of your property, it’s wise to address it before you list it for sale. If you’re viewing properties you’re interested in buying, you should look for any telltale signs of a pest problem too. Fortunately, it’s possible to get rid of woodworm easily as long as you spot them at an early stage.

If you’re looking for a property to buy, or if you’re selling your home, don’t hesitate to call the team at Warren Powell-Richards.

We’re looking forward to helping you with your property purchasing or selling needs.

Details: Published: 20 July 2022; Hits: 589

Should I Downsize?

We have found that currently older people are questioning whether downsizing is the right choice for them. If your children have flown the nest, and with the cost of living increasing, you may be beginning to think about whether your existing home is suitable in the long term.

Perhaps the ongoing demands of cleaning, maintaining, running and repairing a family-sized property are already proving to be onerous and, over time, those requirements will only become more challenging. With this in mind, it could be time to consider moving to a smaller home. The team here at Warren Powell-Richards appreciate that this can be a difficult decision and so have a few considerations that you should bear in mind before making your final choice.

What Do You Find Most Important?

Your home may have once been perfect for your family, but it’s important to consider what matters most to you today. If you value spending your money and time on the things you enjoy doing most instead of spending them on your home, it could be the perfect time to downsize.

Take some time to think carefully about your current circumstances and how much space you really need now. Take the time, too, to plan ahead for the future. Consider your future well-being and health.

Will you be able to manage stairs, a large garden, or difficult to maintain fittings and fixtures when you’re older?

Is your home’s location still going to be suitable for you in a few years’ time, or would it be best for you to live closer to family members, public transport, or healthcare facilities?

You need to not only prioritise what is important to you today but also what will matter most in the future.

Consider Your Finances

It can be expensive to run any home. However, if you’re paying a large amount to warm rooms that you don’t use, or pay a standard water bill which would be most suited to a larger family, you could save money by downsizing. You may also have a big mortgage and high insurance premiums for a larger home that you could save money on if you moved to a smaller property. You could even end up paying your mortgage off entirely, potentially leaving spare money that you can spend on things that you enjoy.

How Could You Use Some Spare Money?

For many people considering downsizing, there will be some spare money available once you’ve relocated. Depending on the amount of money involved, you may decide to go on holiday, give some money to loved ones, help your children buy a home of their own, or buy some well-earned treats for yourself. You may have enough to invest – perhaps in a buy-to-let property to generate an additional income to supplement your pension or existing salary.

What Happens Next?

Deciding to downsize is never going to be easy, but in many cases, it is the best thing in the long run. Discuss your thoughts with your family and friends, and take some time to think hard about what’s the best option for you. You should also find out how much your existing home is worth.

You can find out more about the value of similar properties in your area by visiting our website at wpr.co.uk, or start the process of selling your home by getting in touch with our team. We’re looking forward to helping you make the most of your move.

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